Anambra Community Town Union Election Ends In Disaster

Following the actions of some cabals in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, a group of indigenes under the aegis of Concerned Citizens, has pushed against an alleged undertaking to shift the conduct of the town union election in the community from December 31, 2022, said to have been an agreed date.

The group made up of some prominent indigenes of Oba community (includ­ing Chiefs and Ichies) with Chief Orlando Ibeakuzie as its leader, in a statement made available to journalists, rejected further extension of the town union election billed for December 31.

The group revealed that the three-year tenure of Aboji Village, as provided for by the Constitution of Oba Patriotic Union (OPU), came to an end a long time ago.

“Because of the expiration, the Regent of Oba, in the Eas­ter meeting of the year 2021 in his address appealed for the extension of the tenure of both executives of OPU and her youth arm, for the reason stated in his address.

“For the appeal, the meet­ing grudgingly accepted the extension of both executives as pleaded so that the period pleaded for, coincided with the provision of the newly amended Constitution, Sec­tion 19, sub sections 2 and 3 (as amended). So, that the day for the election was shifted to December 31, 2022,” the group said.

The Concerned Citizens disclosed that they waited to no avail in the month of Octo­ber 2022 in line with the OPU Constitution for the outgone President General, Rev Chris Emelie, to commence the pro­cess of election in December 2022.

The group said that when this step was not taken, that the information coming to the Concerned Citizens and the village presidents was that the outgone executives were not willing and ready to conduct any election this year.

According to the group, it was alleged that the out-gone executives were ready to plead for another extension of ten­ure in the coming December 31 general meeting.

The statement said this led the Concerned Citizens and all the villages’ presidents to take their complaint to the appropriate Ministry at the Government House, Awka.

“For that, the ministry wrote to the Regent a letter dated October 13, 2022, to in­form him that the election of new executive of the town was long overdue and de­manded him to constitute an electoral committee, to organ­ise an election for Oba on the December 31, 2022.

Reacting, in a letter to Oba indigenes titled ‘Public an­nouncement’, the Regent of the Oba community, Prince Noel Ezenwa, said given the pending election of the OPU, the election had been scheduled for Easter General Assembly, 2023, when, accord­ing to him, the current PG’s tenure would have expired.

“The Umuogali village/ zone is expected to nominate legitimate person(s) for the of­fice of the President General. All other offices will be vied for in accordance with the pri­or agreement of our zoning system.

“Please, ignore any an­nouncement emanating from the so-called ‘Concerned Citi­zens’ apparently led by Chief Barr SYZ Orlando Ibeakuzie, who has no power or author­ity to constitute or convene a meeting on behalf of the OPU,” the Regent said in the public announcement.

He noted that since he became the Regent of Oba, he had tried to maintain the letters and spirit of the Con­stitution (the OPU and Ezeo­kpoko), which he said he ob­served did not go down well with some individuals who, according to him, were bent on scuttling all genuine and noble efforts to keep Oba on the right track.

Meanwhile, the Oba Con­cerned Citizens have inaugu­rated a 13-member electoral committee with Azubuike Okeke as Chairman and Chief Ibeakuzie, Secretary, with the mandate to conduct the town union election come December 31, 2022.

Members of the electoral committee were drawn from the nine villages of three zones that make up Oba com­munity.

“It is the stand of the Con­cerned Citizens, the Anam­bra State government and any person who wants to tell himself the truth, without sentiment and, or, bias, that the three-year tenure of the administration of Oba, as led by Rev Chris Emelie, who represented Aboji Village, the owners of the tenure, has since expired.

“No wonder, the Regent in the Easter Meeting, pleaded that the tenure be extended, which plea, was grudgingly granted, for peace to reign.

The Concerned Citizens, further said that they had earlier exhibited the letter, wherein the Regent made the plea.

“We ask, if by then the ten­ure of the administration had not expired, why the plea?” they added.